Change Channels: No More Multi-Tasking
Multi-tasking is not a virtue. It is not a good thing.
Who knew? We all talk about the importance of multi-tasking and how we are great at juggling several tasks at once. We even list it in job ads as a required ability! As someone with an inherent lack of attention span, my idea of focus is to do three things at once. It sounds like multi-tasking is what we need to do to be successful in a world that wants it faster, bigger, and cheaper.
The problem with multi-tasking is the definition. Most of us define the art of multi-tasking as being able to do several things at once. That is not really what we need. When you do several things at once your attention is not fully on any one thing. You are bouncing between stimulants. Yet you do not actually focus on something specific. So, do we actually do our best work?
I will be honest with you - I have texted while driving. A great example of my ability to multi-task ... and my addiction to my Blackberry. This is not good. I am not focused on the road. The news is everywhere that we are significantly impaired when we text and drive. It is worse than being drunk.
So multi-tasking is a lot like working drunk. Would you be pleased to have your comments when drunk read back to you when sober - much less recorded in writing? Have you ever sent a proposal to a client with someone else's name in it - working drunk. Have you ever submitted a budget with wrong numbers in critical places - working drunk. Have you ever looked around the room to see who else was there when you were talking to someone - working drunk. Multi-tasking makes us a mess!
When we multi-task we are working impaired and not putting our best focus and attention what we are doing. We are not doing our best for our clients, our bosses, or ourselves.
We need to change channels. Channel shifting means you focus on what you are doing completely, do it, and then switch channels to the next thing. We are fully engaged in what we are doing now - and next. That means we actually can think about what we are doing - a much better result. Multi-tasking should really be re-defined as being able to manage several projects or tasks together (not necessarily at the same exact time).
My resolution is never to text and drive again. I am also resolved to channel shifting rather than multi-tasking.
Stop working drunk - channel shift, don't multi-task.
Just my thinking…
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